1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a guiding device for stacking sheets of paper on the bottom of a stacking tray to which the sheets are fed by a feeding mechanism which releases them at a point which is higher than the bottom of the stacking tray so that the sheets released drop to the stacking tray, said device comprising a movable fender which extends from above into the path of movement of the incoming sheet, is deflected by said sheet and is arranged such that due to its weight the upper side of the sheet released by the feeding mechanism is subjected to a load.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Known guiding devices of this type are often used in sheet-handling apparatus which are connected to the output station of copiers, printers or the like. Such guiding devices may also be part of so-called finishers for example, i.e. units performing various finishing operations such as the stapling or folding of stacked sheets.
When paper sheets are to be deposited in apparatus of the above type they should form a properly aligned stack on the bottom of the stacking tray and not be displaced relative to each other. Normally, the bottom of the stacking tray is inclined relative to the vertical so that the sheets slide, in opposition to the direction in which they are fed in, towards the lower end of the stacking tray until their edges contact a paper abutment so that the sheets in the stack are longitudinally aligned (in the direction of feeding). In spite of the presence of one or more fenders which act from above on the paper sheets while they are dropping into the stacking tray and which by their weight are to urge the sheets in a controlled manner downwards in the direction towards the bottom of said tray, the danger exists that the sheets when dropping into the tray are laterally displaced (transversely to the direction of feeding).